Unit 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant reached a new power generation high on January 13. The unit began to generate 870 MW of its full capacity of 1,000 MW. Unit 2, which was to be commissioned in 2008, attained criticality in July 2016 and has been generating power since. After more than a month after it attained criticality, the power generated in the unit was synchronised with the southern grid in August last year. “The power generation has reached 870 MW in Unit 2 and in a week’s time we hope to reach its full capacity of 1,000 MW. We are doing some tests. Once we get permission from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), we will increase the power generation to its full capacity,” said Site Director RS Sundar. “Demand for power this month has been beyond average. We are lucky to get power from Unit 2. Nearly 400 MW from the power generated from this unit is being fed into our state grid,” said a senior TANGEDCO official. The maintenance of Unit 1 is underway and it is likely to attain criticality by the end of this month.